Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~. ~20~4~
W~LL RETENTION SYSTEM
FI~r~o OF T~l~ INVF.~TION
This invention relates to wall retention systems
used for controlling horizontal loads.
BACKÇROUN~ OF TH~ INV~NTION
Calla~ian patel~t No l,157,2~1 issue~ 22 November 1983
to Edmond B~LZER disclo5es a wall retention system con~prising
a number of facin~ slabs arranged in ~enerally upright fashion
over a hollow foundation slab. The upright Eacing slabs wall
transversely carry integral upright ribs. The lower end
portion of the facing slabs are notched, wherein metallic
elbowed reinforcing rods project therefrom. The hollow
foun~atioll sla~ also integrally carries inwardly projecting
reinforcing metallic rods. By pouring uncured cement into the
hollow of the foundation slab, and then allowing the cement to
set, the concrete base and upright wall become integrally
interconnected.
Such wall retention systems are acceptable Eor
controlling a number of horizontal loads. However, when the
tilt loads applied on the upright wall are high or very high,
particularly at the upper section of the wall, then the
foundation anchoring alone may not be sufficient to
continuously withstand these extreme loads.
OBJ~C~S OF T~ INV~TION
Al~ important object oE tlle inventioll is to improve
UpOII the wall retention system as disclosed in canadian patent
No 1,157,281, supra .
~ corollary object of the invention is to increase
tlle llorizontal loa~ controllillg c~pability oE exlsting upright
wall retention systems.
A further object of the invention is to provide such
a wall retentioll system which will consist of factory made,
2 2 ~ 1 ~i 4 ~
mo~ul~r components, wherein inst~llation thereof can be done
quickly all~ inexpellsively by semi-skilled workers.
SU~M7~1~Y OF TllE IIIVENTION
Tlle present wall retelltioll system includes factory
ma~e, E)recast modular Colnpollellts~ el~ablin~ tl~e erection o~
~elleXa.lly u~ Jll~ (ver~l~al or illc~ e~) Wall8 tha~ must
support transverse stress and transfer it to the foundation
sys.tel~ ul.l. Ilei.cJIIt Lacill-3 slabs are laid 61de by 8idc Oll
foulldation slabs. A cast~ place ~ooting is thell set,
lo as6urillg a perfect embe~cdinc3 of the components. Ilence, the
precast reinforced concrete element is sel~-stalldillg after
pUttil1(3 i.t on tlle concrete ~se. 'l'lle interior sl~e o t~le
facillc3 slabs carry uprigllt reinforcing ribs, while the
exterior side o~ the facing slabs i5 continuous. The present
wall retelltioll system can be made to order: choice oE model
leigllt, EtllCI t~le framewor]t i~ adapted to tlle dimen~iolls o~
tlle ~roj~c~ alld ~etermined by tlle (mainly) ~lorizontal stress
loadings to be contained. The final concreting in the trench
is dolle last, the modular wall components being monolithically
7.0 ~onded.
~ ore particularly, and in accordallce with the
objects of the inventioll, there is disclosed ~ wall retention
syskem fol~ abuttillc3 aga;.nst all~ retainillcJ a mass of eart~l,
compriSillg ill combitlation: (a) a set of ~lat facing slabs,
eacll said ~acing slab having an ou~er flat surface and an
;.llnel^, re;.ll~orce~l surfaoe; (h) in~erloc]cing nleans, ~or
i.nt:erlocki.n~ sa.icl facing ~labs to ~OXIIl a ~ingle continuou~
wall skruckure; (c) ioundakion slabs, adapted ~or ground
engagement, and de~ining integral means ~or supporting and
anclloril-g tlle lower portions o~ said facing slabs w~lerein Gaid
facing slabs are supported in generally upright condition; and
2.
2 ~ 0 1 1 4 3
. .
(d) allumber o elon9ated ten~ion memberG, in~egrally carried
at tlleir inl)er e~l~s by said facill~ slabs reinforced sur~ace
and trar-sversely projecting therefrom at vertically spaced
illtervals, said tensioll members adapted to embeddinyly allchor
into 5aid mass o~ eartll ~o be retaille~; wllerein large
llor~zolltal loa~ gs rolu t}leloa~ oE e~rtll caIl b~ sustained by
said wall retention system, without compromising the
allgularity Or said facil~g slabs relatlve to groulld level.
In a :irst embodimelll; o~ the invention, each o~ sald
lU elongated tensiorl members includes: (a) first and second
straiyht, elongated brace bar, defining inne~ and outer ends;
(~) brac]cet means, fixedly allcl~otin~ said inller ends o~ 6aid
straight brace bars to laterally offset raised sections of
said reinforced surface of ~acing slabs; and (c) third
arcuate brace bar, fixedly interconnected by bolt means to
l o~lt~r (?.nds o~ F~:~.d f.ir~ econ~l ~;tr~ I)r~ce l~rs,
Wl~ll tlle COllVe~ side o~ sai~ arcuate brace bar extendillg away
from said facing slabs;
whereill said firs~ to third brace bars are installed to the
facin(l slabs before a trencll adjacent tlle retainillg wall is
~ ille~ wit~l said IllaSS of earth.
In this first embodiment, the facillg slabs
reillfol-ce(l ~ur~ace preEer~bly deEille gellerally uprig~l~
integral ribs ill laterally spaced fashion; and said bracket
means includes a pair o~ elbowed iron bars, each having a main
pOrtiOI~ I elllbed~ed illtO said ribs an~ ~acing slabs, an~ an
out~r ~rec portioll, w~lereill said iroll bal^~ outer fr~e por~iol~s
~a)re ill salldwicll ~he illner en~ o~ a yivell sa1~ stralyht brace
bar and are fixedly anchored thereto by bolt means. Different
~o assem~lies of said first to thlrd brace bars may be anchore~
in vertically spaced fashion to said facing slabs, the overall
==~
22~ 114~
orizolltal componellt lenc3tll of GUCII brace bar a58emblies
~ecreasillC~ wi~ll tlle cleptll ~lleL-eoE illsicle t~le mass o~ eartl~.
PreLerably, these brace bars will extend generally
orl:llogollally to the faci~ slabs outer sur~ace.
I~ Colld elllbo~ lell~ o~ e invel~iol~l eacll of
sal~ elollya~e~ tellsiolllllelll~er~ may illclude: (a) all elollgated
straight rigid rod, defining inner and outer ends; (b)
bL-aCICCt IlleallS, adjustably allc~lorillc3 sald innel- end of said
straigllt rocl to a raised sectioll of ~aicl reinforcecl surface of
1~ facing slabs; and (c) ~lelicoidal ~lade means, carried by a
section oE said outer end oE straight rod; whereill said
elongated ro~ is to be dxiven thL-ougll said masG of eartll
before ~lle facing slabs are erected, with said helicoidal
bla~e means facilitating through motion oE ~aid rod into the
eartll, withou~ tlle need Eor previous eartl~ trenc}ling adjacent
t~le retai~ lcJ wall.
In tllis second embodiment, said rigid rod i5
preferably cylindrical, witll said outer end thereof forming a
bevelled, ~harpened tip. Said facing slabs reinforced surface
7.0 coulcl also (lc~inQ generally uprigll~ integral ribs ill later~lly
spaced fas~lion; alld w~lerein said bracket means includes a pair
Or elbowe~ iron bars, each having a main portion, embedded
irl~o ~ai~ rlbs ancl ~acill~ slabs, al~ all ou~er free por~ioll,
whereill said iron bars outer free end portions engage a flange
member wllich thus becomes anchored to ~aid rib, said flange
melllbel~ llavin~3 a bore; ~urtllel- includillg a hoo~c member,
relea~ably ellcJac3il~cJ said ~lanc~e member bore, and a turnbuc]cle
melllber, adjustably intercollllecting said hook member to said
rod inner end.
In either ones of the above-noted first and second
embodiments, said integral supporting means o~ the foundation
22~1 114 3
..~
slabs may ~re~era~ly illclucle ~ir~ Gtr~ig~t iroll b~rs,
illtec3ra~ to sai~ foulldatioll slab5 ancl extendi~g transversely
relative to said facinc3 slabs outer sur~ace; and wherein the
' lower e~c3e portioll defillecl by said ~acing slabs is no-tclle~,
witllsecollcl el~owed irollb~rs in~ec~lrally proiectillg d~W11WaL-dl~
LL-OIII s.li~ fa~ cJ slabs llotcll, wllerein said firs~ and seconcl
iron bars come in substantiall~ horizontal register with one
~no~ller; uncure~ cemellt beillg poured into tlle llollow o~ sald
~oull~atioll slabs and allowecl tllereafter to ~et, GO a~ to
inteyrally illterconnect said ~irst and second iron bars.
Preferably, these tension rods w~ll extend in
~ownwar(l:l y illclille~ f~Gl~ioll from tl~e ~acillg slab~ .
BE~I~F DESCRIPTION OF T~IE DR~WINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view o~ a motor vehicle
bri.clqe spal~ cJ two opposLte earth abutmellt wall members
accorclill~3 to ~ ~.i.rst eml)ocl.Lmelll~ o~ ~lle invelltion, olle oE t~lcse
wall me~ ers beillg ill partially fragmelltary vlew;
Figure 2 is a side elevation, at an enlarged scale,
of a Eirst em~ocliment oE abutment wall member;
~;`ic3ure 3 is ~ Gicle elevatioll of a secollcl embodiment
of abutment wall member, with tlle brace members shown in
pllall tom l ines;
Fi.cJurc ~ is a cross-sectiollal view at an enlarged
scale takell alolly lille 4-~ o~ ~ig 2;
Figures 5 and G are enlarged views o~ the areas
circumscri~e~ by arrows 5 alld G, respectively, o ~iy ~;
~iyures 7 ~nd ~ are view~ of tlle ~lements of ~igure~
5 all~ G, res~e~tlvely, bellly rotate~ by a quarter o~ a turn
relative thereto;
Fiyure 9 iG a broken perspective ViQW 0~ the
elements o~ ~igure 5; figure 10 is a view similar to ig 9,
'"
~ 2 2 ~ ~ ~ 4 ~
,
but sllowillg thc bottom portion ol~ t~le retaining w~ acin~
s:La~s .Iccordi.llc3 ~o ~lle em~o~ ellt of figure 3;
Figure ll is a view similar to figure 2, but ~howing
~liotlle~ em~odilllent o~ wall re~entloll sy~tem;
Fiyure 12 is all enl~r~e(l, partly sectional, plan
v~.~w oL a ~)r~l~e ~l~cllc).r ro~ ~xten6ion modular ex~ellsion,
Eormin~ part of the wall retention system of figure 11, and
c~rryillc3 a sill~le tur~ elicoidal blade according to the
invelltion;
Figure 13 is a partly sectional, enlarged view of
the area circumscribed by arrow 13 in ~igure 11, showing the
turnbucJcle att~c~lment oE the br~ce anchor rod; and
Figure 14 is a sectional view of the turnbuckle
attacllmeIlt, taken along line 14-14 oE figure 13.
D~T~IL~ SCI~I~TlON OF TII~ EMBODIMENTS 0~ TIIE INVENTION
fi.c3~re 1, a ~r.i~cJe r3 ~pans ~ ~itcl~ D separ~tin~
two }lorizollt-llly space~ eartll masses Ml and M2. ~gainst the
vertical or inclined wall portion of each earth mass Ml and M2
tllat faccs tlle ditcll ~, there is mounted an abutment wall
mem~er 20. I~acll abutment wall member 20 prevent6 t~le
corresponding adjacent earth mass M1 or M2 from moving toward
one another an~ from fil~ g ~ e ditc!l D, and .~ore t o the
poi.nt, ellSUL-(!S. Eirlll ft)Ot~i.tlC~ 1~01` t~le ~rL(lge 13, for m~int~
the horizolltality thereoE.
~ ~irst embodiment of abutment wall member is
illu~tra~e(l .ill Eic~ures 2 alld ~ -to illclude a se~ of upwar~ly
ex~e~ J, Gid~wi.~ely ~i6~0~e~l, E~clng Gla~s 22, Eorming
COlltlllUOUS~ gellerally upright earth retainillg panel. The
bottom slab 22' is supported over ground by engagement into a
complelllell~ary cavity 2~a o~ a horizontal foun~atioll sl~b 2~.
'l'he ~aCillg slabs 22 simply rest by their own weight into the
--=
~201 ~4 ~
.
~oulld-~t:ioll ~.la~ c~vity ~ln, W~t}~ullcuL-c(l cem~nt poured thereo
allowed ~o set ~e~ore use.
By ~generally upright'' in relation to the facing
slabs 22 o~ tlIe present wall retention system 20, t~Iere is
5 mc~ ; t~ . r~t~ .oll w.~ll. be eltll~r vert;lc~l, or
iI~cline~ witlI its ma~ll vectorial compoIlellt being vertical.
The facing slabs 22 are edgewisely interlocked in
successive si~ewise pairs by suitable ancIIorlrlg means, SUCIl as
respective edgewise te~o~ morti~e joiIIts 23, WIllcIl are
thereafter bonded by suitable bonding means. Such bonding
means may bring watertight intercoIlllection between the facing
slal~ )r:crecIui~.ite .iI~ water colIt.~inillg b~sill projec~s.
Upwardly tapering integral ribs 26 upwardly extend along the
interior ~ace (i.e. on the side opposite ditch D) of the
c3enerally upriyht retainiIlc3 ~anel 20. ~ surface slab 28 is
ctkI~.w.i.3cly c~r.L-.ie~ ~y ~IIe to~) ~la~ 22~aI~ eX~ s iIlteriol-ly
frolIlretail~ g panel 22, to even~ually merge with ground level
turE T. Each upright rib 26 carries a few vertically spaced
intursIe~ bracIcets 30, froIll eacl~ oE whlc~I interiorly projects
2~ aIl elongated straight brace strip 32. T~Ie brace strips 32 are
destined to be embedded into the earth mass M1 and M2. The
lengt~I oE the brace strips 32 may be oE tIIe order of maynitude
o~ ~IIe lIe.~ oE ~}Ie ul)rlc~I~t ~:e~ sla~G.22, ~o en~ure
strony earth anc~Ioring of tIIe retainlrIg panel 20 in its
upright condition.
~s sucJgested in figure 4, the strai~ht brace strips
'~ ?~i.L~ )Lo~ y ~ lle }Ior.~.zoII~ vel
~racJcets 30/, 30'', respectively, are fixedly interconnected
at their outer ends (further away from slabs 22) to an
additioIlal arcuate elongated brace strip 34, via attachment
means 36. Obviously, tIle convexity oE arcuate brace strips 34
2201 ~ 4 3
~hould be directe~ away ~rom the ~aci.llg ~labg 22, to extend to
tl~e fullest tlle re~ o~ eartll mass anc~lorillg strip assembly
32, 34. For example in figure ~, tlle brace strips 32', 32'',
oE a given pair o~ brace strips may be ancl~ored to brackets
30', 30'', from a ~iven rib 26' and from ~ BeCOlld SUCCe5BiV~
rl~ ~6'', rQs~ec~lvQly, tlla~ iG~ W~ ree illtQrme~iate rib
26''' therebetwee2l, to provide a greater horizontal gap
~etweell bracJcet strips 32' and 32''. Preer~bl~ also, eacl
attac~lment means 3~ interconnect~ the ends of a pair of
adjacel-t arcuate brace strips 34, 34.
In figure 2, the U-shape brace strips 32, 3~, are
SIIOWII to be orthogollal to the ~acing slabs 22 and generally
~arallel to ground level. ~lthough this arrangement is
preferred, it is understood that other transverse angular
relatiolls be~ween U-sllape brace members 32, 34, and Eacilly
sla}~.s 22 i.n relatloll to gro~ d level, for Gx~mple, upw~rdly
outwardly inclilled ~race mem~ers 32, 34, or ~ownwardly
outwardly inclined brace members, are not excluded from the
sco~e of tlle present invention.
~s suggested in figure 2, the length of the straigllt
brace strips 32 will preferably be made to increase from the
bottom to tlle top portions oE tlle ~ G 1 tlg S lab_ ~2, to rGf 1GC
e~ movelllel~t loads ~t di~ferellt (lepth level~;. T~le toI~
(~3round le~el) br~ce strip 32 will the~ ave the longest
length, being of a length for example approximately equal to
tlla~ Or tlle lleigllt o~ tlle vertically stagyered uprigllt facing
w~J..l. sl.~l)s 7.7.. nrace strips 32 L)rovi~lQ tellsiolling reGistance
~o wall 20, to ~igllt~lorizontal loadings applied thereagainst.
Figures 5, 7, and s-lo detall the ¢tructure o~
anchoring brackets 30, while figures 6 and 8 detail the
-
` 2201143
. ~
str.uctllre oE ~ttac~lment me~lls 3G). 13~ch braclcet 30 illclude~ a
~ ir of ~-slla~e l~racJcet plates 3U, ~lo, with tlleir m,~ portion
being embedcled into a corresponding rib 2G, their elbowed
r.~?.CtiOII 3tSa, ~10.1, be~ J l:urther embedcle(l in oppoBite
dLrectioll5 illto t~le reg~sterillg f,~Clllc) Gl~b 22. T~iQ fre~
outer end ~ortions 3~b, 40~, (i.e., ~arthest away from Eacillg
slabs 22) of bracke~ plates 3~, 40, are made to abut against
oploGite lateral si~es of the inller end portion of brace strlp
32, and are tal{ell in sandwicll thereagainst and locked thereto
by llumber oE ~olts 4Z joinirlg the three structural elemel~ts
3~, 40 and 32.
~ttacllmellt means 3fi Binlply coll~ists o~ ~he outer end
portion o~ straight brace strip 32 (i.e. farthest away from
facing slabs 22) being taken in Gandwich between the
1~ registe~c~ g end portiolls of two successive arcuate brace
strips 3~', 3~'', by ~ ~lumber of allcl~orillg boltG ~4 eXtendincJ
t~lrougll t~le t}lree element~ 32, 34' alld 34'~.
~s suggested by the right hand side part of figure
2, it is understood that the earth mass Ml or M2 into whicll
~0 brace elemellts 32 and 3~ are to extend, have to be previously
excavated, to remove earth behind the erected facing slabs 22,
~efore such elongated brace elements 32 and 3~ can be
installed. I~ccordillgl~, the uprigllt ~acing ~labG 22 will be
selE-standillg Eor a wllile. 'I'hereafter, earth can be brought
behilld the exected slabs 22 to fill the interior side area of
tlle retainillc3 wall 22, whereby the brace elements 32 and 34
will procJre~sively become embedde~ into the tllllS ~ormed eart~
mass, as tlle ~rellcll is pro~ressively ~llled witll eartll.
In the alternate embodiment of retaining wall 120
illustrated in figures 3 and lo, the lowermo~t facin~ ~lab
portions 122 an~ bottom end portions of upright interior ribs
.. ~
2 20 ~ ~ 4
. ~
126 are notclIed at 122', 126', to accommod~te a~gled iron b~rs
~G wllicll ext~ owI~war~ly ~rom tlle xibs 126. The foundation
slab 124 is cavityless, but rather includes a main through-
aperture 125, wherein other stainless steel reinforcing rods
or iron bars 127, 127' also pL-o jec~ from ~he ~ide wall~ 12~a
~ ecJrally o~ tllc ~oull~atioll sla~ 12~ all~ transver6ely
croSSiIlg orle anotller-and crossing thellorizontal components of
tllc adjacerll: ril~ reinEorcllly rods ~IG.
III the embodiment of ~igure~ 3 and 10, uncured
cement i5 poured into hollow ~oundation slab cavity lZ5, where
the coIlcrete is allowed to set be~ore use so as to fixedly
intercollllec- ;1a~s 122, ril~s 126 ~l~d i~oulld~tion sl~l~ 12~a b
tlleir respective steel anchor rods 4G, 127, 127'.
The last embodiment of retaining wall assembly is
sllowIl as 220 ill figure 11, with the componellts thereof
detail~d ill Elgures 12 to 1~. T}le facin-3 ~ 222, interior
u~rigllt ri~s 2ZG aIl~ LouIldatioll sla~s 22~ are identical to
tllose'of the first embodiment 20; however, the brace strips
(32 aIld 3~) are replaced ~y rigld ancllor rod mem~ers 250.
~o ~3ac~l ancllor ro(l member 250 illclu~les ~n elong~ted cylindrical
rod 252, Wit~l a tllreaded end portion 252a at its inner end
(proximate uprigllt retaining panel 220), and at least one -
aI~ ).refera~)~y a f~w lellg~llwi.~ely ~p~ce~ - Bingle ~urll
helicoidal ~lade(s) 254 integrally carried at its outer end
portion. The outer end tip 252~ of each rod 252 i6 bevelled
aI~cl sllarpcIled, to facilitate drive throuyll engagement tllereof
i.nto eLlL-t~ ss Ml or M2. sill~le ~ur~ elicoidal bl~es 25~
must be o a type a~apte~ to promote screw ~r~ving action of
the rods 252 into earth, to facilitate their axial through-
engagQIIIeIIt ~nto the earth masses Ml or M2. l'he threaded rod
portion 252a is tllreadin~ly engaged by a turnbuckle 25G, which
` ~20114
.~
also tllreadingly enc3age~ at its opposite end the threaded stem
25~3a oL ~ O]C Dlelllbe~ 25~. Ilook Illelllber 25~3 is in turn
releasably engaged with a bracket member 260 integrally
ancllore(l t~o tlle vertical rib 22G oE the retaining wall 220.
llellce, by rotatin~ t~le maill body of turnbuckle 256, Btem
oL~ s 25~ 1l(1 252a ar~ l~Lou~llt ~xl~lly t:ow~rd ollQ anotller,
thus tightening the traction of earth embedded anchor rod 252
appliecl to retainillg wall 220. I~elea!3e oE rod 252 Erom wall
22() can be obtained by unscrewing turnbuckle 256, wh~ch will
1~ detacll stem portions 252a ahd 258a from one another.
~s shown in figures 13 and 14, bracket member 260
illcludes a T-shape flange 262, being applied flatly against
the interior edge of wall rib 22G, and a number of L-shape
anchor bolts 264, 264, driven through rib 260 with their
elbowed legs extending through the registering facing slabs
~2~ ~ncl ancllorillcJ the ~lange~ 262 to the rib 260 with nuts
2GG. 'l`~slla~e flal~ge 2G2 ill~lu~le; a ovo~dal bore 262a
transverse to rib 22G.
~look member 25U consists in turn of a U-shape rod
7.0 26~, rele~sably engaging ovoidal boxe 262a of the bracket T-
flanye 2G2. Tlle two threaded ends 26~a, 26~b, of U-s~lape rod
2GU tllrea~lingly engages threaded bores made at opposite ends
of ~ stl^aigllt couplinc~ bar 270, and ~re releasably loclced
t:lleret:o by nu~s 2~2. The threaded en(l portion of stem portion
258a opposite turnbuckle 256 threadingly engages a section of
coupling bar 270 intermediate the two legs oE U-rod 2G~, and
i~ locke(l t~lereill by ~llotller llUt 272.
Fiyure 12 sllows all anchor rod extensioll member,
252', being provided with a single turn helicoidal blade 254'.
olle (or more) rod eXtellsionG 252' are a(lapt:ed to axially fit
to one another, so as to adjustably vary the overall length of
- , .11
7~ 2 ~ ~ ~ 4 3
a c~ivel1 anchor. rod nlember 250. 'l'o t~1.at effQctl rod Qx~Qn~oll
25~ cLu~es a n1~le cou~ ell~ part 27~, diametrally ~1e
same as t~1e mai1l body of cylindrical rod extension 252'', and
,~ fe111alc coupli11g end ~)art 276, beill~ dlametrally enlarged an~
~ef i llillCJ <~ soclcet h~vi1l~3 al~ illllcl di~meter co1ople~e~ary to
t1~ of ~11c 1l1a:le ~ouplill~ el1~ part 27~ of ~1e rod member 252.
coupling end parts 274 ana 276 each has a transverse bore
27~a, 27Ga, for releasable through engagement by a set screw
(not shown) for releasably intercollnecting the rod extensio11s
.252' to the rod proper, 252, axially to one another.
In the retaining walls, ~acing slabF. 22, 122, 222,
iocludinc3 u~)rlg11~ ribs 26, 126, 22G, ~s well as ~oun~ation
slabs 24, l24, 22~, and surface slabs 28, should be of the
precast make, preferably from concrete, although other
suitably strong materials would not be excluded from the scope
of t~le .illvelltioll, p.lrticularly, ~;t;rong l)lastic materi~l6,
me~ alloys suc11 as stainless steel, reinforced aluminum,
and the li~e.
It is to be understood that the iron bars 46, 127,
1~7', as well as iron bars 3~, ~0, and 26~, 2G~, should all be
preferably made ~rom some sturdy weatherproo~ material,
preferably reinrorced stainless steel.
~s r.u~3c~ested ill f igur~ 1 ' tl~e tr~nsverBe en~ ~eams
~ o~ tl1e bridge ~ should extend interiorly beyond the top edge
of t~re facing slabs 22, so as to be able to sink beneath the
top edge o~ the retaining wall ribs 26, whereir1 the upper
portion~ Or t}1ese ribs will posi~ively retai~ 1e
corres~ondi1ly transverse end ~eams E against accidental motion
into the ditch D.
Clearly, a variety o~ applicatioi1~ other than
bridges B are envisioned to benefit from the present retaining
12
-
~ 2 Q ~ ~ 4 ~
.
wall assembly, for ex~mple:
- for water retentioll projects: tlle application range o~ the
present invelltion is most varied osl water retention projects;
~ ee~, tlle ~esign allows ~he realization of round basins
5 startl~lc3 from ~ meter of ~i.x mete~B ancl more, or exampl~,
L~l~ t-lle ~re~mellt oL wast~ w~er; of rect~ngular tanks, and
the like; applications include: water protective barriers,
~rinlcablc wateî reservoirs, and private swimming pools;
- as wharf walls for fluvial harbour: in this application,
lo the retaining wall is used in sailing harbours, commercial
ports for barges and protection o~ river banks; not excluded
are alluvial dams particularly studied Eor l~ying by
llelicopter;
- as walls for doc]cs oE commercial building;
- as lower ground floorG: tlle pre6ent wall retelltion syatem
can ~e use~l i.n t:lle :I.ow~r ~Jroull~l floors o buildil~J, for
periplleral walls tllat retaill the ground and support
intermediate floors; it is feasible, with this type oE
retention wall, to work a small portion at a time, in order to
prevent even~ual cavinc3 in from adjoining areas;
- as basement of villas;
- as retainillg walls under a railroad, submerged by aquiEer
slleet;
- as ? wall witll shifted ~ooting;
- as a sound barrier; and
- otll~r applicatiolls are also eII~isioned.
It is noted tllat, Oll account o.~ thQ upriyht ribs,
t~l~ wllole wall structure is tllerefore colltillUoUS, and does
allow a retake oE the horizontal loadin~ stress Erom the top.
